


Past And Future

by Welsper



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime)
Genre: First Dates, Getting Together, M/M, scavenger hunt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:02:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24553585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welsper/pseuds/Welsper
Summary: Ash takes to the roads again - this time with an all new and old companion! What adventures will await him in Sousa City?
Relationships: Ookido Shigeru | Gary Oak/Satoshi | Ash Ketchum
Comments: 8
Kudos: 57
Collections: Fandom 5K 2020





	Past And Future

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cricket_aria](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cricket_aria/gifts).



“Ash!”

A familiar voice rang out over the runway and a feeling of warmth spread through Ash’s chest, so different than the Alola sun on his skin had been but just as nice. He had missed that voice. He ran over until he stood in front of that boy who greeted him with a smile.

“Gary! What are you doing here?”

“I heard you were on the plane, so I thought I’d say hello. And congratulate you. Look at you, the Alola champion, congratulations.” Gary put his hands on Ash’s shoulders. “And you even grew a bit!”

“I did?” Ash looked down on himself. He hadn’t quite noticed… but he had, huh? Then again, so had Gary, so it was pretty much the same. Even though they had lived through so much now, had become different people, learned so much and made so many experiences, some things never changed. Somehow, looking up into Gary’s kind face wasn’t much of a bother either. “I guess! And thanks! I couldn’t have done it without everything I’ve learned from everyone and without my friends by my side. So, thank you too, Gary.”

“Haha, you never really change, don’t you? That spirit of yours. That’s what I like about you.”

Ash’s chest grew a little tight at that. Gary liked him! Somehow, it always was a little different with him than with the others. He liked all of his friends! Everyone he’d met. But Gary… to have him here, to have him wait for him and greet him. It was a bit like coming home.

“Uh, thank you. You too! I like you. I mean.”

“Pika-pi…” Pikachu sighed and shook his head, giving him a somewhat disgruntled look.

“Ah, sorry Pikachu! Here I am keeping you two,” Gary said and let go. “You’re staying at the Pelliper Beak, I bet?”

“Yeah!” Ash laughed. “Pikachu and I could definitely use a shower now after that flight.”

“Great! If you want to, I’ll pick you up tonight after you’ve settled in. If you want, I mean. Me to take you out to celebrate your victory,” Gary said and scratched the back of his neck. Ash wondered if he was nervous… Gary, nervous? Maybe he had a big project going on. Oh man, here he was, and it was all about him! He hadn’t even asked anything properly about Gary. But he could now, when Gary picked him up! As would love to hear what he was researching now.

Ash’s face lit up and he nodded eagerly. “I’d love to!”

Gary relaxed and smiled. “Alright, I’ll see you at nine then. Catch you later, Ash!”

  


* * *

  
“Pika-pi.”

“Huh? No good?”

“Pikachu!”

Ash looked a little puzzled as Pikachu bit down on the hem of his shirt and pulled at it.

“Alright, alright… not that one then. Does it matter?”

“Pika!” Pikachu puffed his little cheeks out and nodded.

“I don’t really have much else than those…”

In the end, Pikachu was relentless and Ash borrowed a nice white shirt from the reception his friend at last seemed to be happy with. Maybe it was nice to dress up once in a while! Pikachu was right. Gary had come all the way to meet him, after all – probably. Ash hadn’t asked him what he was doing out here, after all. Alright, first thing they would talk about! Even though Ash really wanted to tell him all about the tournament too! It would have been nice if Gary had been there too… Ash wanted to fight with him again, one day. Maybe he should ask him. He wondered if Gary had kept training, at least a bit.

“Pika.”

A small fist tugged at his trousers and Ash was ripped out of his thoughts.

“Huh? What is it, Pikachu?”

Pikachu nodded over to the entrance door to the lobby where Ash had been waiting.

“Hey Ash.”

Ash’s mouth stood open for a moment before he collected himself. Gary looked… well, actually, Ash was really glad that he wore that nice shirt now. Were they going somewhere fancy? Gary was out of his casual dress, having traded the polo for a nice, crisp black shirt. It fit him really nice… And was his hair slicked back a little?

“Oh. Hi Gary,” Ash said and he hoped his nervousness didn’t show too much. Somehow, after all he’d been through he had hoped he could meet Gary as a champion proper, but seeing him like this… it was like Gary was light years ahead of him again, in a way Ash couldn’t really explain. “Looking good.”

“Thanks. You… you too. New shirt?”

Ash could feel himself blush and suddenly wished he hadn’t left his hat back at the room but Pikachu hadn’t let him take it with him. If only he could pull it down into his face now… but that would probably be really obvious. Gary didn’t need to know.

“Oh yeah! Pikachu picked it out,” Ash offered. Pikachu looked really proud of himself.

“Good job, Pikachu. He’s still always looking out for you, huh?”

“Of course! It’s what friends do. So, uh. Where are we headed?”

“Not far from here! Come on, I made reservations.”

Reservations? That did sound fancy. Ash tugged at the hem of his shirt before Pikachu stopped him with a well-aimed pull at his hair. “Ouch! Alright, alright…”

“You okay?” Gary asked, looking back over his shoulder and Ash waved his hands with a nervous smile.

“Everything is fine!”

Ash was _really_ glad he wore that nice shirt now as they reached the restaurant – everyone was dressed so nicely! Couples sat together at wooden tables with candles on them – ah, wait, they were probably friends there too, talking about good times. Like him and Gary. Friends.

Paper lanterns in the shape of Pokémon illuminated the night as they made their ways through rows of tables to their own seats as directed by a waitress. She bowed after they were seated and left them with the menu.

“Wow, it’s really nice here!”

“You like it? I’m glad. I wasn’t sure if the beach bars in Alola make all of this seem lame in comparison,” Gary said and Ash quickly shook his head.

“No! I like it. And you’re here with me! The beach bars in Alola didn’t have that!”

“Is that so? I’m glad…”

“But never mind Alola now! What have you been up too? Are you here for research?”

Ash thought he saw a frown on Gary’s face for a moment before it vanished.

“Ah, yes… research. I was here for. Uh, the Volbeat and Illumise in the area! It’s their mating season right now, actually. I was… here to make sure no poachers are disturbing their habitat.”

“Wow, that’s amazing, Gary! I bet they are really happy you are here for them! Haha, they’re probably as glad to see you as I was when you showed up at that airport! I hope I am not keeping you from your work!”

“No! I mean, no. You really aren’t. Listen Ash, I—”

The waitress coming back made Gary swallow those words down – he really polite these days, maybe back then he would have just ignored her! Or offered her a space in that car he used to drive around in. Ash like this Gary better.

They were silent as they munched on their meals. Sometimes one of them started talking, only for the other to do it at the same time, and then they both apologized and stopped. But still, Ash thought it was really nice to be here. Be with Gary. He didn’t need the nice restaurant, or anything like that. With Gary, it was nice anywhere. There was a sinking pit in his stomach when he thought about the next day, when he would move on. When Gary would move on, back to his work.

Ash hoped the evening would go on a little longer.

The food was really good, but he ate slowly, even though it was so tasty. Even though they didn’t really talk about anything, it was nice to just be with Gary.

Gary pushed his fork around his empty plate.

“Uhm, do you want to come with me somewhere after this? There’s something I want you to see.”

Ash beamed at the suggestion – he could be with Gary a little longer! He nodded eagerly and Gary looked happy too. Maybe Gary had missed him a little too. Maybe he was as happy as Ash to spend some time with his friend too. And maybe Gary didn’t feel like _that_ but Ash was still happy. He nodded eagerly. “Yeah, let’s go!”

After they’d settled the bill, Ash let Gary lead him, deeper into the forest. Gravel crunched under his shoes and the soft rustle of leaves filled the quiet night. Somewhere, a Decidueye cried out.

And then it began.

Bright lights filled the air as dozens, no maybe hundreds of Volbeats swarmed around them, following the smaller Illumises at the front. It still looked so beautiful, like back then. Their soft glow bathed the forest in light and Ash felt his heart thump at seeing Gary like this, the shine in his eyes and the warm smile on his face.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?”

Ash nodded. “They are! Pokémon are amazing...”

“Yeah… they must be glad, to have found each other,” Gary said quietly.

They sat down in the grass to watch the swarm as it drew beautiful patterns into the sky, buzzing with excitement and love.

“I’m glad I found you too. Best friends until the end, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Hey, Ash, did you ever think about what you’d like to do in the future?”

“Huh? After what?”

“Yeah. You became champion, didn’t you? Just like you always wanted. What now?”

Ash turned his head to look at Gary. His friend was looking into the sky – maybe he saw Pokémon in the bright stars, like Ash did usually. Gary was so smart and he’d learned so much in his time as Pokémon researcher, he could probably even tell facts about every single one that showed itself in there. Everyone was moving on, right? Ash had met so many people over his travels, so many friends, human and Pokémon alike. Good people evil people, this world held them all. And always Ash wondered what they were up too, after all this while. Was glad to see them again if their paths crossed, that bittersweet note to parting ways soothed for a moment.

When he looked at Gary sitting next to him, he dreaded that feeling, that departure in the future. He swallowed when he looked at Gary’s hand resting on the grass, relaxed. If he reached out… Ash could hold it. He could never let go. Drag him alone on his travels, not as rivals but as friends. They could see that vast world together, catch and research Pokémon and fight together in tag team battles.

Ash wanted to ask. He wanted Gary to say yes.

“Keep travelling,” he said quietly, not meeting Gary’s eyes. Just say it, he told himself. It doesn’t have to be more than that. You’re not proposing to him or anything like that. Just to be with his friend, his oldest and dearest, that’s what it was. So he wouldn’t have to feel that loneliness anymore when he looked at the stars and wondered if Gary was looking at them too, what the sky looked like where he was.

“I see,” Gary said. “Same as me then, right?”

“Yeah… right. We still have a lot to see.”

The words wouldn’t come. Did Gary want him to ask? Want to come with him? But maybe he’d just annoy him… Keep him from his research – he probably had better things to do than be dragged around by Ash as he went around! Ash didn’t know that much about Pokémon research, but all the tournaments would probably be distracting.

So he swallowed the question down and they sat in silence for a while.

It was then that Pikachu gave him a little punch and scowled at him. “Pika-pii!”

“Ow! What’s that for, old friend?” Pikachu punched him again and small fists pushed him towards Gary, a determined look on his small face.

“Pika!”

Pikachu pointed at Ash, then at Gary, then at both of them together, waving his little arms around. It seemed Pikachu wasn’t going to let this one go. He could always rely on his friend, who would support him however he could. All this time, they’d been together, and their understanding was beyond anything, beyond the bonds of a trainer and a Pokémon. Pikachu knew his heart.

“Pikachu,” he said sincerely and then ran off, leaving the two of them alone. Somehow, Ash knew he couldn’t return without this being resolved. He’d get a Thunderbolt to the face for sure.

Gary snorted and burst into laughter and Ash couldn’t help but join in.

“Can’t let him down now,” Ash said to himself and turned to Gary. He reached out to that hand like he’d been wanting for so long. It was warm in his grip, like the look on Gary’s face. His expression softened and it the light of the stars, he looked so beautiful. “I want to ask you something.”

Gary nodded once and his fingers interlaced with Ash’s. Ash’s heart beat a little faster for the touch and he took a deep breath.

“I want to continue traveling, Gary. I want to see more of this world. More Pokémon. I want to fight with more trainers. I… I’m not like you, I don’t know yet where I’ll end up. You’ll become a Professor, won’t you? I know you can do it.”

Ash leaned in closer and Gary didn’t draw back. Their faces were so close to each other he could feel Gary’s warm breath on his face.

“And you’ll become the greatest champion of all, I know it,” Gary said with a smile. It filled Ash with pride, to know that Gary of all people believed in him. They’d come such a long way from how they were back then. Now they were true friends, who believed in each other and built each other up instead of trying to tear each other down.

Ash wanted to be more than friends. And Gary… maybe Gary wanted that, too. He was always so nice to him… he always had such kind words for him. He had waited for him at that airport, had welcomed him, even though he had his own work to do. Had taken him on a date, when Ash hadn’t even known it was one, worked so hard to make it nice…

Ash didn’t know anything about love. But he did know Gary. And he knew he wanted to be with him. Like they were now. And like something else too. He had to ask.

“And even though we have different goals now… we still both love Pokémon, don’t we? I… I want to be with you, Gary.” He could hear Gary’s breath catch and his heart felt like it was going to beat out of his ribcage. “And I know that’s difficult… with you being a researcher and me a trainer and—”

“It doesn’t have to be,” Gary said immediately. “We... we can make it work.” Gary’s hand around his own squeezed tighter and Ash ran a thumb across the back of it. “I want to make it work.”

“Yeah. Me too…”

They could figure it out together. They could figure out that and the future too.

And Ash couldn’t wait for it.

  


* * *

  
Sousa City was amazing! Blue skies stretched over skyscrapers and beautiful old ryokan both, a mixture of the old and new, mixed together in one beautiful city. From up here in the cable car, Gary and Ash could see the entirety of it. Pallet Town it wasn’t! And it was all the more fun for being the first big city Ash and Gary visited together – it felt like a real journey now! One they were taking together. One that would hopefully go on for a long while. A journey to find new Pokémon, new friends, and maybe finally each other’s hearts.

Gary could hear music blaring from the speakers when they stepped out of the cable car and an attendant in bright clothes and a Ditto perched on her shoulder greeted them with a warm smile and a bow.

“Welcome to Sousa City! Will you be taking part in our scavenger hunt?”

“Thank you! Scavenger hunt?”

“The highlight of our annual festival! People sign up in teams and together with a Ditto, find hidden objects around the city! The team who finds them all and remembers them correctly will be this year’s champion!”

“Sounds like a great way to learn about the city!” There was a spark in Gary’s eyes – this was way better than a city tour! And Ash was excited too, with the added flavor of competition mixed in. And a new friend to play with! There were Ditto all around the city, both in their form and mixed in with the others! Gary saw a child laugh as it got copied by one particularly playful one and they started making pattycakes.

“Good thing we have a champion with us, huh? Should be easy for you!” Gary said and gently boxed Ash in the shoulder.

“Hey! This isn’t like a Pokémon battle. And besides,” Ash said and his cheeks flushed, “you’re pretty good too…”

Gary scratched the back of his head and laughed. If it had been the earlier him, he would have agreed and boasted some on top, but he had mellowed out over the years. Still, it felt good to hear Ash praise him.

“You will take part then?” The woman who had welcomed them asked with a friendly smile.  
“Yeah! We will, right?”

Gary nodded.

“Great! We pride ourselves in our friendship with our Dittos, so we will be glad if you pick one of them to accompany you! They’re very friendly, so it shouldn’t be hard! Once you find one, come to the register and sign up! The hunt will begin at noon!”

“Thanks, we’ll be there!”

They walked through the city gate, marveling at seeing the beautiful city up close finally. There were people all around, travelers like them and inhabitants both and the air was full of excitement and buzz. Children wore Pokémon hats – with little Ditto eyes and tugged at their parents’ hands to get them to come to the next stall. Gary had to laugh when he felt a hand tug at his sleeve as well.

“You want some ice cream too?” He asked, and if he had tried to tease it didn’t work because only fondness spilled over.

Ash pouted at him anyway and Gary thought that was the cutest thing, even cuter than the Dittos. He wanted to tell him, wanted to tell him how cute he was like this, but the words wouldn’t come. Even if they were traveling together right now, they had never gotten farther than that one kiss. Gary wasn’t even sure if they were a couple. Neither was Ash, and so they hovered around each other, enjoying each other’s company, but… Gary sighed.

“You okay?”

“Yeah! I’m fine. Let’s go find a little friend for the Scavenger Hunt!”

Even between the two of them, with all their adventures behind them and their knowledge about Pokémon, it was easier said than done! Most of the Ditto seemed to have more fun copying festival goers and their Pokémon or drooping around rather than signing up. Ash laughed at him, a high and warm sound, when one Ditto basically glid through his fingers and slithered away when Gary picked it up.

“It’s not like you have any better luck!”

“We’ll find one! And even if…” Ash looked at the floor. “Even if not, I’m still glad I’m here with you. I’m glad you came with me. It’s a lot more fun to travel together.”

Gary swallowed and opened his mouth to say something before Ash cut him off again.

“Hey, look over there! You think it’s alright?”

Gary followed Ash’s pointing finger to a dark corner behind a stall. Behind it was the smallest Ditto he ever saw – it was tiny! And it looked scared, he almost hadn’t noticed it. When it saw the two boys looking over, it turned into a water bottle – a very tiny one.

A smile spread across Gary’s face when Ash crouched down in front of the trembling water bottle and held out a hand.

“Hey there. You okay?”

“Ditto…” A tiny voice squeaked, drowned out by all the noise of the festival.

“It’s okay. We’re not going to hurt you. You don’t need to be afraid!”

“Ditto?”

“Pika-pii!” Pikachu jumped from Ash’s shoulder and pressed his nose to the water bottle, gently nudging it. There was a giggling noise and the bottle turned back into that little Ditto. Pikachu rubbed his cheek against it and Gary felt a warm fondness in his chest at seeing the three of them like that.

“Think we found our partner?” Gary asked and Ash looked up with a smile and nodded.

“Hey, want to come play with us? We’re going on a Scavenger Hunt!” The Ditto must have heard about that one because its eyes lit up and it slithered over to Ash.

“Guess that’s our answer. You have a way with Pokémon, Ash.”

“Huh? I just try to listen to them! It’s no fun to just make them do things. Friends should make their decisions with each other.” Ash stood up, Pikachu and Ditto both on his shoulders. “Come on, let’s go sign up!”

“Ah, have you come to sign up? And that’s the one you want to take with you? It’s so tiny! I’ve never seen one that small before…” Nurse Joy, who was registering people, reached out and the Ditto hid itself against Ash’s neck.

“Yeah! I think we can all have a lot of fun in this together! Right, Ditto?”

“Ditto!”

Gary thought the tiny voice had more confidence now. Ash’s brightness must be rubbing off. And who could blame the Ditto? Certainly not Gary. With Ash at his side, he too felt like he could be… more. Be better. He hoped Ash felt a little bit like that about him too.

Fireworks lit up the sky as the Scavenger Hunt began. The mayor of Sousa City welcomed them all with a warm smile and warmer words.

“Welcome to our annual Scavenger Hunt, everyone! Whether you are from Sousa City or came to visit our beautiful city! We are happy you all came to join us!” Loud applause and cheers from the crowd interrupted him before he shushed them with a laugh. “Ah, to hear the laughter and joy, this is what I most look forward to every year. I hope we will all be laughing together like this at the end of the day too as we say goodbye to this joyous day and welcome another one. But do not let us dwell in the future, but live in the present and have fun!”

The mayor raised a pistol and shot it into the air, scattering confetti and glitter.

“The Scavenger Hunt has begun! Good luck, everyone!”

“Let’s go, Gary!”

Gary laughed as Ash grabbed his hand. “You don’t even know what we have to look for first! Let’s check the clues!”

“Ah, you’re right, I guess. You’re the smart one! Help us out, Professor Oak!”

Gary flushed at that name. “Hey, I’m not…”

Ash smiled. “Yeah, maybe not yet. But you will be, I know it! I believe in you, Gary!”

“Thank you, Ash…”

“Let’s see, then…”

As the day went on and they found more and more objects of the scavenger hunt and puzzled out the correct order and taught Ditto how to transform into them, Gary thought that maybe he didn’t need big words. Maybe it was enough to just be with Ash like that.

Listen to his dumb jokes and his excited babbling and feel his heart beat faster at his big, curious eyes as he listened to Gary’s trivia about Pokémon and places they saw along the way.

When Ash’s hand slipped into his own and held tight, Gary was pretty sure. The bond between them, it would be there either way. It would wait, grow stronger until they both found the words they wanted to say.

“Hmm… but don’t you think these are kind of odd?” Ash mused as he looked back onto the latest piece of the puzzle. “A microscope?”

“Yeah, you’d think they’d have more things to do with Ditto, or this city. These are all a bit random.” Gary looked down on Ditto in his arms. “You don’t know anything about that either, do you? Oh well, maybe they just wanted a wide variety of objects to show off Ditto’s capabilities.”

They came across more curiosities, broken flasks and trinkets, strewn among historical objects of Sousa City. There was even a photo album, most of the pictures faded or crossed out. It had taken Ditto a while to copy all of that down.

Gary and Ash came to a halt before their last stop.

“That’s it, huh? The final piece.”

“Looks like it.”

“Think you can remember it, Ditto?”

“Ditto!”

Little slimy fists were raised into the air and they all laughed together as for once, they all copied Ditto in its gesture.

The final clue had led them to a statue way off the main streets. It was in front of an old, boarded up building whose purpose was probably long forgotten. Gary squinted against the sunlight bright in his eyes as it shone done on them and the towering stone replica of a kind looking woman. On her arm was a Ditto.

“Is Ditto supposed to copy the entire statue…?”

“Wow, that seems like a lot.”

“Ditto…”

“Ah, don’t worry, Ditto! I am sure you can do it if you try! Come on, let’s see it from all angles.”

Gary watched with a laugh as Ash carried Ditto around the statue. Ditto looked concentrated and when the little tour was over, it managed to transform into a very, very tiny founder statue.

“Wow, check it out! It even got all the details right!”

“Yeah, it’s amazing how well Ditto can do that. Their DNA lets them become everything they see! We don’t really know how they do it yet, but there are lots of theories. I’d love to check our the university’s library here, I bet they have tons of info on Ditto.”

“We could stay a few days!”

“Is that okay? You always move on so fast… you never stay in one place much, do you?”

Ash smiled and shrugged. “It’s fine, isn’t it? We’re not in a rush to go anywhere.”

“But I thought you wanted to make sure you catch the next League season…”

“Yeah… but… I want to spend time with you too, Gary. With the things you like.”

“Ash…”

The silence between them was so thick and palpable that Gary thought Ditto would transform into it at any second. If he only reached out and… if he said something right now, if he told Ash he wanted to spend time with him, why he wanted to spend time with him. If only he could tell Ash how much he meant to Gary. But the words wouldn’t come.

“Well… let’s get back to the festival grounds, since we found all the objects.”

He nearly winced as he heard Pikachu’s frustrated sigh and shot him a little apologetic smile. Maybe even Pikachu would be better at telling someone his feelings. Maybe even he would be better at making his heart known with only a few heartfelt pika-pis.

For a moment, Gary thought he saw something move in the trees. Something pink? “Hey Ash, did you see that?”

“See what?”

“Over there, it’s—”

Ash followed his gaze, but there was nothing to be seen anymore.

“Maybe just a curious Ditto looking to see we aren’t doing anything bad to its family!”

“Yeah, maybe.”

It was growing dark as they finally made their way back. The other participants had trickled in too, coming before the journey to present their findings, their Dittos transforming into all kinds of objects and pieces. None of them in the correct order, or even the full set.

When it was finally Ash’s and Gary’s turn, Gary could see Ditto shaking with nervousness. Ditto were so aware of their surroundings, it must have seen its friends fail. Gary smiled at it warmly and petted its head. Ash put his hand over Gary’s and even Pikachu put a little paw there.

“You can do it, Ditto!”

“We believe in you!”

“Pikachu!”

“Ditto…” It looked to the three of them and then to the judges who waited with smiles on their faces. The mayor gave them a nod, a kind glimmer in his eyes.

And then, Ditto did it.

One by one, it transformed into all the objects and places they had seen together today. All those things that were important to Sousa City, to the friendship of people and Ditto here. Everything that made this city what it was and what the people had come to love it for. And all those things Gary and Ash found that didn’t really fit anywhere, didn’t seem to mean anything to anyone but had an odd sense of belonging together.

“Wonderful, simply wonderful!” The mayor applauded them and the rest of the jury joined in. The applause and cheers swelled in the audience until everyone was cheering for them.

“You two have shown a wonderful bond with Ditto! And so you have forged a bond with this very city we are so proud of. Congratulations on your win, and I hope you will always remember Sousa City fondly and come visit us in the future as well.”

“We will! Thank you!”

They were munching on the sweets from their winner’s bag as they made their way back to the hotel, waving back at their little Ditto friend perched on the Mayor’s shoulder now. Ash and Gary were glad it had grown confident enough to find new friends too like that. Even if they hadn’t won, that along would have been worth it.

“Hm, guess we never really found out what all that weird stuff was for,” Ash mused.

“Maybe it really didn’t mean anything…”

“But it felt like it did, right?”

Gary nodded. “Somehow… it felt as important to Sousa City as all the other things.”

“That’s because it was. To me, anyway.”

Both Ash and Gary looked up in surprise at the voice of a woman calling out to them. She was older, her gray hair put up in two buns, wearing the coat of a professor. Gary knew a lot of them, was familiar with most of their work, but this one, he had never—wait.

“You’re that woman from the statue!”

“And the photo album!” Ash added.

“That and that too. You paid attention. I am glad… No wonder Ditto worked so hard, was able to remember so clearly. You two are fine young men. I have been putting these clues in the Scavenger Hunt for a long time now, but no one has ever found them all.”

“It’s because Gary’s a researcher! He’s going to be the greatest Pokémon professor there ever was and will be!” Ash proclaimed and Gary blushed at the pride he could hear in his voice.

“Is that so? I hope you will achieve your goal. Study Pokémon as they are, Gary. Be kind to them.”

Gary nodded, slowly. “I will be.”

“So what do they mean?” Ash asked, curiosity in his voice. Even though he wasn’t a researcher, Ash was interested in anything Pokémon related. That’s why they loved him so much, didn’t they? That was part of why Gary loved him, too.

“Mementos of my past, a past I should not have lived. I made Sousa City a place for all the Ditto, so … they had somewhere to be, after we put them into this world.”

“You what?!” Gary and Ash said as one.

“There is a Pokémon called Mew, one with the ability to learn all abilities due to its genetic code. I was part of a research team hoping to harness that ability. We never did manage to make something as powerful as Mew. And so what you see here today are the fruits of our research. The Ditto.” The professor sighed. “I wanted to meet it, one time only. I wanted to apologize.”

“I don’t think there’s anything to apologize,” Ash said. “The Ditto… they are happy here! And Ditto today had so much fun, not just the one that played with us! So… don’t be sorry. I don’t think Mew would want you to be sad, either!”

Ash always knew what to say in situations like these. Ash lived and felt with all his heart, was kind and passionate. Gary was so happy that someone like Ash wanted to be with him. He never wanted to let go. And in this moment he knew, he had to tell him properly. He wouldn’t have any regrets either.

Suddenly, a bright light appeared before the three and Gary’s eyes went wide. So it hadn’t been his imagination earlier! Before them, hovering in the air and glowing faintly, was a Mew. To think there had one been here! And research on it had led to the creation of the Ditto of Sousa City! This was something Gary would have never seen without traveling with Ash, without Ash being who he was. Mew probably reacted to the sincerity of Ash’s heart—Gary knew he did.

“It’s you…”

The Mew twirled in the air, waved its little paw. There was a smile on its face, radiant and kind and although they could not speak to one another, in their hearts they knew what it meant.

“I see… You were never mad at me, were you? Thank you.” There was a smile on the woman’s face when the Mew vanished again, leaving a faint aura of warmth and kindness behind. “And thank you two, too. I hope… I hope you will visit us again in the future.”

“We will! You and the Ditto!”

They waved goodbye as they parted ways.

“What now?” Gary asked into the silence of the night, scratching Umbreon behind the ear as they walked aimlessly. Pikachu yawned and snuggled into Ash’s jacket.

“Hmm… you still wanted to see the library, didn’t you?”

“You remember that?”

“Of course I do!”

Gary felt warm at that. Ash cared. Ash cared what he wanted, what he felt like. He wanted to make Gary happy – and that alone was enough to do just that.

“And after that?”

Ash smiled at him warmly. “Wherever is fine.” Gary reached out for Ash’s hand and he took it. “As long as you are with me, Gary.”

Gary nodded and he felt tears sting at the corner of his eyes. To think that they had come so far… so far from those old days of childish rivalry, to friendly competition, to true friends and now this. Gary had never been happier.

“Best friends until the end.”

It was now or never. Gary would live with whatever consequences the choice he made here would have. But the way Ash looked at him… that kind and open smile, the sparkle in his eyes. The warmth in his voice. In his heart, Gary knew it would be alright. Gary leaned forward and pressed a kiss to Ash’s lips. There was a flush that crept to Ash’s face, adorable and beautiful and Gary had never seen anything more dear.

“Yeah. Best friends and more. Forever,” Ash said, his voice quiet for once, but still sure.

“Forever,” Gary said with a nod.

Forever was a big word. Maybe a scary word. But Gary thought he might like to research it.

Together with Ash.


End file.
